What are used nowadays for battery cables in motor vehicle construction are power cables which are notable for their high current carrying capacity. Particularly in vehicles in which the vehicle's battery is not arranged in the engine compartment, the battery cables are often run through the whole of the bodywork. Hence, it is often possible for tappings to be taken off the battery cables at various points within the bodywork.
Because not only the volume of data that occurs in motor vehicles is growing, power conductors are laid in motor vehicles but also a plurality of data conductors. For example, many components of vehicles that are important to their operation are nowadays addressed via the so-called CAN bus or the LIN bus. The laying of cables for transmitting data is proving to be difficult in vehicle construction because a large number of finely branched cable harnesses have to be installed in the vehicles. Because of the large number of cables, it may be a problem to keep said cables apart from one another. At the time of fitting, the fitter has to be punctilious in seeing that the cable harnesses are fitted correctly.
It is a disadvantage that, as well as the lines carrying power, data lines also have to be laid in motor vehicles, which means greater cost and complication in the fitting and a greater likelihood of errors. A large number of cables also entails a disadvantage in terms of space and weight as compared with concentrated components.
In present-day vehicles having multi-voltage 12V and 48V electrical systems, it is not only the usual battery cables but also further cables which are required as power conductors. The reduction in the space available and the automated method of fitting call for conductors which are easy to fit and which save space when fitted. This requirement is even more important with multi-voltage electrical systems because a dedicated line carrying power has to be run through the bodywork for each of the battery voltages. Tappings are required at various points in the electrical system. This can hardly be achieved with the conventional cable looms made up of round conductors.
From the disadvantages deduced above comes the object of providing an electrical cable for motor vehicles which, in a simplified way, allows a plurality of lines to be fitted at the same time.